Antwerp in Belgium, like many European cities, displays a characteristic network of roads that radiate outwards like glowing spider webs

2. Chicago-Illinois, USA

Spoiler for Chicago:

The wider metropolitan area of Chicago, Illinois, home to 10 million people, stands out at night

3. El Paso-Texas, USA

Spoiler for El Paso:

El Paso, Texas, on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande, is marked by brightly-lit Interstate Highway I-10 that cuts across the city. It is bordered by Ciudad Juaréz, Mexico

4. Las Vegas, USA

Spoiler for Las Vegas:

The ‘Vegas Strip’ of casinos and hotels, said to be the brightest spot on Earth, stands out in this image of Las Vegas at night

5. Tokyo, Japan

Spoiler for Tokyo:

The night lights of Tokyo, like many Japanese cities, have a blue-green glow caused by mercury vapour lighting

6. London, England

Spoiler for London:

This night-time view of London, captured in 2003, shows how the population density rapidly drops off from the city’s bright urban centre. It was taken at 7.22pm on February 4. Thin clouds are evident in the fuzzy character of patterns for some of the surrounding smaller cities.

7. Montreal, Canada

Spoiler for Montreal:

The Canadian city of Montreal is seen lit up at night in an orbital motion photo taking from the International Space Station

8. São Paulo, Brazil

Spoiler for São Paulo:

The sprawling urban footprint of São Paulo, Brazil, where different colours denote the different types and generation of streetlight

9. Southern California, USA

Spoiler for Southern California:

The striking lights of southern California, as captured by astronaut Don Pettit